Volunteers Sought Volunteers are being sought to serve on the Siuslaw Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee, a 15‑member panel that recommends how Title II funds are spent on projects tied to recreation, maintenance, and ecosystem restoration on or near the Siuslaw National Forest. Title II funding comes from the […]

Council Moves Decision to July The Florence City Council has delayed a final decision on whether to continue its System Development Charge exemption program after a split vote Monday night. Staff reported the city has approved more than $976,000 in fee reductions since 2018, including about $121,000 this fiscal year, […]

Heat Advisory Until Tuesday PM A Heat Advisory remains in effect through 11 p.m. Tuesday for inland areas including Mapleton and portions of the Coast Range. Forecasters say today will be the hottest day of the week, with temperatures expected to reach the upper 90s in the Mapleton area. Overnight […]

Charging Stations at Fred Meyer Fred Meyer in Florence will soon be home to 4 Tesla supercharging stations. The 4 stations will have 2 charging ports each and will support standard Tesla connections. Electric vehicles other than Tesla will need an adapter to use them. Angela Nelson, Fred Meyer general […]

Mapleton School Seeks Charter Status The Mapleton School District is moving forward with plans to become a single-district charter school. On June 8th, the district’s governing board approved a transition to Mapleton Community School, a change aimed at strengthening long-term sustainability and expanding opportunities for students and families. Superintendent Susan […]

Retirement Celebration for Chief Schick West Lane Fire and EMS will honor retiring Fire Chief Michael Schick with a community retirement celebration on June 30. Chief Schick is retiring after 32 years of service to the fire service and the Western Lane community. The public is invited to stop by […]

System Development Charge to be Reviewed The Florence City Council will consider an ordinance next week that would amend the City’s system development charge, or SDC, deferral and exemption programs. Ordinance No. 3, Series 2026, would update Florence City Code Chapter 9-1, which governs programs that allow certain development projects […]

Woman Dies After Fall at Devils Punchbowl A tragic accident at Devils Punchbowl State Park has claimed the life of a woman who fell into the rocky basin Wednesday afternoon. Emergency crews from the Depoe Bay Fire District responded shortly before noon and used rope rescue techniques to reach the […]